Georgina, Ontario: Fire department lauded for carrying epinephrine on its vehicles

Photo courtesy of the Georgina Advocate

The town of Georgina, Ontario is now providing epinephrine auto-injectors on its fire trucks as part of its medical response equipment. This is extremely helpful for people with food allergies because fire fighters are sometimes the first responders in an anaphylaxis emergency.

More and more North American municipalities are stocking their fire department vehicles with epinephrine. The reason is simple: depending on the location, sometimes the first knock at the door in a medical emergency is the fire department, providing essential first aid while waiting for hospital paramedics and the ambulance.

Georgina firefighters are now equipped and trained to provide emergency epinephrine to children and adults suffering from anaphylaxis. Frontline firetrucks in each of Georgina’s three stations will carry two adult injectors and two child injectors.

This is a potentially life-saving move by the Town of Georgina — and one we hope to see more of throughout Canada.

Thank you to the Town of Georgina and the heroes at the Georgina FD!!

• A story about the Town of Georgina’s program from the Georgina Advocate
• Review the five emergency steps for treating anaphylaxis
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